The Shishapangma Expedition Disaster 

For someone who dislikes cold weather and heights, I'm unaccountably fascinated by these tales - like I'm rooting for them to rewrite history. But K2 would be a lovely picnic next to being in a flooded dark cave. Y'all be careful out there, darn it.

The music for this channel is suitably morbid and I really like it.

I would argue that a beacon while climbing a mountain is like a life jacket while boating. It should be considered essential, not optional.

Conrad once climbed with David Lama who also unfortunately died from an avalanche. I can't imagine what it's like to know that you or you friends could die at any moment despite being incredibly good climbers.

Easily amongst the strongest high altitude mountaineers of all time: *Alex Lowe & Anatoli Boukreev.* Lowe’s daily workout routine was insane: 1000 pull-ups in sets of 50, perfect form, done daily, just as a warmup! Boukreev’s power & stamina at altitude had to be seen to be believed. Both men were highly technical, possessed elite ability & excellent judgement when up the hill. They knew their bodies, they knew the routes & conditions, they knew the mountains themselves, they often climbed beside the best of the best, yet both men died, swept away in a instant by massive avalanches - Alex on Shishapangma, Toli on Annapurna, & if anything gets to me about this sport, it’s definitely that.

I love listening to these stories from my warm, cozy, safe bed.

My favourite part of every Mobid Midnight video is when Morbid Midnight says "It's Midnightin time"

Big props for correcting the photo at the end and also thank you for covering this, and your content in general!

Alex Lowe was an absolute Legend. One of the strongest climbers of all time.

Big ups bro for fixing the mistaken identity in the last upload.

Conrad Anker was best friends with Alex Lowes. And been climbing partners for years before this accident. Conrad had a head injury and still continued to search for Alex. Conrad adopted Alex's children after marrying Jenny. Conrad found George Mallory's body on Everest. Highly recommended watching the Movie Meru if you haven't seen it. Mugz was Conrad's mentor. Conrad's new climbing partner is Jimmy Chen.

Rest In Peace Alex and David. True pioneers of our time

I 'climbed' into bed after watching this. It was cold but I 'fell' asleep. It was 'snow' problem.

For anyone interested in this, I can highly recommend the documentary Torn, which was created by Alex's oldest son. It examines the life of Alex Lowe, the relationship between Lowe's widow and Anker and includes the footage from all of them going back to the mountain to say goodbye once Alex's body was discovered. Amazing film.

Another great but disturbing video! Thank you for your hard work! May all that perished, especially the ones still missing RIP 🪦🙏

Lowe's son, Max, made a documentary called 'Torn'. Worth seeing. Respect. Thanks for the report: you're never over the top, just getting facts fairly. Paz y luz.

What a tragic & beautiful story. I’ve known my husband for many years but we didn’t begin dating until he was a widower. There are many times, especially when I’m with our son (he’s my step son but I call him my bonus kid and I raise him as my own) I feel his late wife’s presence. I would imagine it’s both an honor and a blessing that he could fulfill the role of dad to those kids that lost their father.

Thank you for this video. I watched Torn as several suggested in the comments. It is an amazing story like nothing you have ever seen.

Thank you for having the integrity for correcting the mistake on the photo. To others; we were having a respectful conversation before they deleted it.

Thats lovely that the survivor not only kept his friends memory alive but married his widow and raised his children. You don't see that too often. Shame on anyone trying to attatch blame or fault in the 2 deaths! Those 2 knew the dangers and obviously loved climbing.

Worth mentioning that even had they carried locator beacons, rescuing both climbers would still not be guaranteed, as once climbers are buried for more than 25 minutes, there's less than a 44% chance the buried climber is found alive

Hans Saari, one of the skiers in this group, sadly also went on to lose his life a couple of years later, taking a hard fall while mountain skiing in France.

Excellent video, thank you.

Just subscribed. Good job buddy. Thanks

If you watch the documentary "Torn" done by Alex Lowe's son, Max, you'll find they did find both Alex and David Bridges. The Bridges family asked the Lowe-Anker family to cremate David at the same time they did so for Alex. David's ashes were returned to his family.

Sweet, dude! Thank you.

I’m only posting this comment because after watching the video I thought they hadn’t found David Bridges. David Bridges body hasn’t been recovered, but he was found, at the same time as Alex Lowe. They were found only two metres apart. And the mountaineers who found them did not recognize them because they didn’t know them. They called Conrad Anker and by their description of the gear they were wearing he knew it was them. Alex was recovered from the mountain but Dave Bridges wasn’t. Dan Bridges said. “It seems absurd to do that-not just logistically but morally in a sense. He has been buried up there for this amount of time, and we would just end up taking him home, cremating him, and taking him back-because that’s where his heart is laid, and that’s where his soul is.” I can understand that. Each family is different and must be guided by their own heart. It’s so rare that the mountain gives those who perish back especially after that much time has passed. I can’t even imagine how difficult it must have been for all involved. I’ve never climbed a mountain (Ok, I climbed Mt. Finlayson on Vancouver Island 1,375 feet several times, but it’s hardly the same thing) so I really admire people who can do this 🗻

I understand that people want to test their ability etc... and they are free to do that. I just can't imagine dying that way. It sounds miserable. Cold , lost and hopeless.

You got solid videos. I am here for more. Keep doing god’s work.

Avaanches, while unforeseeable, are not unpredictable. If you venture into the mountains while avalanches are possible, then you should, either, accept the consequences, or, take proper precautions, such as using beacons, inflator backpacks, or jet packs, or tell the love ones back home not to label you as heroes.

What is the picture in you Morbid Midnight title card? I can’t figure it out and it’s got me intrigued.

I'm afraid of heights and the older I get, it seems to worsen. Physical strength is one part of ascending succesfully, a strong mind is even more imperative, I assume. When you lose your "psychic grip" on the mountain it's over, your body will lose grip, too. And the most gruesome truth is, it might happen anytime. There is no way of saying, "aight, I aint having that, I just turn around and go home". You practically in the middle of nowhere, thousands of meters above the ground and thousands of miles from home, in the worst climatic conditions imaginable. I'm wondering how many fatalities just happened, when climbers realized that there is no chance of returning savely and they just fell "voluntarily", like in "better fall to death quickly" instead of dying a slow and excruciating death due to hypothermia.

16 years! holy moly that's a long time

Cans of PBR on the memorable is priceless! Wounder how they got that past Chinese customs?

You can be Highly Experienced, and complacent. Complacency Kills! Risk Mitigate and Never Ever Assume that just because the “odds” seem in your favour, nothing is 100%.

Rest in peace, Alex

Yo man, you have a good heart. Idk, first off the video was excellent very informative. Most of all you were very respectful. Can't come close to how respectful you were to the .....idk what to say? The "victims"? The "dead"? 😐 Idk!

It's just damn stupid not to wear some sort of beacon. Every mountaineer should and does know that any mountains can have avalanches.

Every 8000 meter peak is terrifying

I feel like I've seen this already

This a re-upload ? Swear I just watched this today

We're experienced mountaineers so we don't need locator beacons on a mountain prone to avalanches...makes perfect sense. A beacon is like insurance...you don't need it till you need it.

It really is a price worth paying ,of leaving behind a wife and kids as they will get by somehow . Think of all the important lessons and legacy you leave behind for those you loved . He died for what he enjoyed doing and he surely has to be applauded for teaching us all the ultimate lesson of serving and living for ourselves !!! Climbing and especially high altitude Himalayan mountaineering is an intensely selfish pastime. Let`s be honest about that !!!

David Bridges was found the same day Alex Lowe was found.

Took me 8 minutes to realise this is a reupload

Subbed 👍🏼

It’s Midnightin time

How come you posted this again? I watched this one yesterday. I'm confused

Nice that the survivor and widow found some happiness.

No reason not to carry a bacon if you have one. I remember this low was a real rock star in the climb world.

how did the climbers get into China - permission and permits? I listened 2x to see if it was mentioned

All very sad. I couldn't do it

It’s in Tibet, not China.

I NEVER KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT "EXTREAM" SPORTS DEATHS. LIKE, THEY WOULD BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW IF THEY WERENT FUCKING AROUND ON A DANGEROUS MOUNTAIN. SO LIKE, DUH. IS THIS SAD? ITS NOT RIGHT? AM I ALONE HERE?

R.I.P. David Lama

It feels really unfortunate that it was over a movie. It's silly. Reminds me of an old coke a cola commercial

I’m glad you redid this because there were some very shitty comments about the widow marrying the best friend.

So sad

Note the PBRs on the memorials...

Avalanches are just a risk of the mountains. They all knew it.

Anker looked identical to Rolf Bae.

I’d never climb mountains, unless I was VERY well paid and spoilt with endorsement money to do it. This just doesn’t seem like any fun at all.

Leave me on the mountain I die on!

You should always wear a beacon because you just never know

So they climbed a mountain notorious for avalanches - without avalanche locators. Ok....

There are no such things as Small avalanches.

Lmfao I spent like 5 minutes trying to say name of this mountain and gave up to hear how it’s pronounced in the video and I felt dumb once I heard how easy it’s pronounced 😂

No avalanche locater beacons . Why why why‼️⁉️❓ Avalanches don't care how shallow the angles of the surfaces you are walking on are. Ego ego ego

Never heard such a stupid excuse in my life, the mountain does not give a shit if you are experienced or not, all of them should have had an avalanche beacon, no excuses, gentle slope, steep slope, low-risk day high-risk day, it matters not.

Again; unpreparedness... 💀

They weren't very intillegent....

I do not want to be glacier poop...

Don't go climbing with Conrad if he fancies your wife.

Anker had survivers guilt . He is a legend, but to choose to do things like this when you have a wife and kids is selfish to me. I Don't understand the mindset . It boggles my mind rest in peace Alex you should have stayed home with your family.

Another heart breaker but a great video! On our way to 30k.....that rhymed ;)

When is it too old to do this story?????????? 60?(????

Am I the only one who thinks this is narrated by an AI?

You mean Tibet. Common mistake buddy

Everest mount 29,036 ft

Reupload

A better place to bury them would have been -- on the mountain.

I don't know why, but marrying your dead friend's wife always seemed a little... 'awkward' to me.

horror english!!

No wonder China made it up there 1st! What a joke 🤣. It was entirely in China and at the time no foreigner were allowed.

So Conrad married his dead buddies widow? I was about to say something but then i realised my best friend only went to prison for a year and i hooked up with his girlfriend in my 20's..so ima shut up and just say that i'm glad it had a happy ending.

Why beg for money

Heavy Doobie Documentary

I’m going to start a memorial foundation for my dead buddy and plow his widow. I’m a good person.

They needed Lord Jesus ohhh

He married his buddy’s wife!? Well that’s a slap in the face lol.

I don't think we should call these things disasters or tragedies

Shishapangma is Tibetan for, wtf am I doing here?